Band programs vary at different high schools. At some, marching band is a huge deal, and takes a bunch of time outside of class. At others, it’s much more low key. At many, marching band is for less serious musicians, while concert band or orchestra are for more serious musicians. At some, serious musicians prefer concert band but are required to also do marching band. My point here is that marching band may not be that big a deal for selective college placement in the first place. There may be a few colleges that have marching band scholarships, but I think most do not. Marching band is a collective activity, without a lot of opportunity for individual achievement (unless you are the drum major). I would say that it’s a good activity if a kid enjoys it, but that it’s not going to be crucial to college admissions for most kids.
In my opinion, being in a rock band can be just as good an EC as marching band, especially if the rock band is good enough to participate in competitions, to get paid for gigs, to play at school events, etc.
One other thing–if your kid’s high school has a jazz band, that might end up being where the best musicians go. That might be especially good for OP’s kid, if he is primarily a drummer.
But the kid likes both. Dang, kinda hard to insist he drop the one he isn’t “passionate” about, eh?
Don’t try to make marching band into something pointy. Whether there are scholarships doesn’t say how Adcoms can view the hours/effort. And the point isn’t individual shininess. It’s the team.
Oh my goodness – other than financially, please don’t start college planning for a 6th grader. And by all means let him continue with his rock band if he enjoys it – who knows what he’ll be interested in come HS.
Just wanted to add that both my kids dropped most of their middle school activities when they moved on to high school. Even some where they had competed at state or national level. Also my kid who hated marching band in middle school joined the hs marching band. Let your poor 12 year old do what he enjoys–he’s doing a lot of great activities–and come back to this site when he’s in high school.
I sure hope the latter part wasn’t referring to my comment. I didn’t mean to say that he needs a record contract to be taken seriously as an EC by top schools, but if the band is literally the only thing he does outside of school, then yeah, it’s going to need to be more than the occasional charitable gig/garage jam session to account for the fact that there is nothing else on the application outside of school and the band.
IWBB, I think that other comment missed (at least slightly) that along with drive and commitment, top colleges are also looking for the ability to join in peer activities and, in some respects, conform to others’ (adults’) expectations. It can come in different forms.